Odisha schools to remain closed till Dec 31

Bhubaneswar: All schools in Odisha will remain closed till December 31, a notification of the School & Mass Education Department said today.

“The department held extensive consultations with various stakeholders and their inputs were taken. Further, the experience of the states where schools had reopened and the fact that a second wave of COVID-19 cases being experienced in some states were noted. Now, therefore, the State Government do hereby direct that all schools in the State shall remain closed till 31 December, 2020,” the notification said.

Notwithstanding closure of academic institutions, the following will be permitted:

a. Conduct of examinations (academic competitive and entrance tests), evaluation and other administrative activities.

b. Online distance learning shall continue to be permitted and shall be encouraged.

c. Teaching and non-teaching staff may be called to the schools for online teaching/ tele-counselling and related work, in areas outside the Continent Zones as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the Ministry of Education Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW), Gol.